Trap for rats, gophers, and similar small game.



E. K. VAN GUREN. TRAP FOR RATS, GOPHERS, AND SIMILAR SMALL GAMB.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17, 1912.

, Patented NOV. 11,1913.

UNITED STATES PaTENT oFFIoE.

Panza; K. vnlvounnn, or namnsrown, canrnoanra, assrenoarro anse, van

onnnn, or sanara Mon ca, am oaara;

rarer iron nears, Gerinns, nun sIMrLan snarl; GAME;

Application filed July 17, 1912. Serial No. 709,981.

To all whom it may 0 m Be it known that LELZA K. VAN OUREN, a citizenof the Unite d States, residing at Bairdstown, in the county of Los Angeles and State of Qalifornia, have invented oer tain new and useful Improvements in Traps for Bats, Gophers, and Similar Small Game, of which the following is a specification.

My inventionrelates to traps for catching rats, gophers and other small animals, and

has for its object the provision of an im-. proved trap that is so constructed as to surely catch and securely hold small animals and is likewise so constructed that the animal is practically instantaneously killed to prevent the animal from needless suffering.

My invention will be described in detail hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of my improved trap; Fig. 2, a vertical sectional view on the plane indicated by the line 22 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 8, a cross section on the plane indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings similar reference characters will be used to designate corresponding parts tl'iroughout the several views.

My improved trap consists of a base 1 having an upright 2 secured thereto and provided with an opening 3. 1 and 5 indi cate pairs of arms having one of their terminals connected by means of flexible rods 6 and 7, and secured to the upright 2 by means of staples 8 and 9 engaging said rods. The other terminals of the rods 1 and 5 are connected by means of retractile coil springs 10 and 11 and each of the rods are provided with spikes 12 and 13 secured intermediate of their terminals and on the adjacent sides thereof, said spikes being arranged opposite the opening 3 in the upright 2. One side of the upright 2 below the opening 3 is provided with a central longitudinal groove let specification of Letters patent.

right angle to the main portionof the rod and extended through the opening 3 as shownat 19, said end 19 being adapted to receivea bait 26. The rod 16 is preferably formed of afiexible material and oscillates between guides 21 secured to the upright 2. The rods at havesecured thereto pins or projections 22 that are unalined relatively to one another and adapted to engage the oil'- set 18 when the trap is in a set position as shown in Fig. 1 asto the arms 41. x

Mounted in the groove 15 is another rod designated 23 secured by one of itsterminals to the upright 2 by means of a staple 2 1 or other suitable fastening, said rod .23

having an offset portion 25 intermediate of its ends and its free terminal bent at sub stantially a right angle to the secured portion of the rod and extended through the opening 3 as shown at 26, said extended por tion 26 being adapted to receive a bait 27. The rod 23 is also constructed of flexible material and is adapted to oscillate between the loop guides 28 secured to the upright 2.

29 indicates pins or projections secured to the arms 5 and adapted to engage the offset portion 25 of the rod 23 when said rods 5 are in a set position, said rods being, however, shown in a sprung position in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

In setting the trap, it will be apparent that the arms a and 5 are moved away from one another manually until the free terminals or the pins 22 and 29 release the oilset portions 18 and 25 01 the rods 16 and 23, when said rods will spring into position against the upright 2 and said ofliset portions 18 and 25 will engage the terminals 01 said pins 22 and 29 and hold the arms 1 and 5 in. their outwardly extended positions, and bait having previoiiisly been secured to Patent d N vll 1.91

the ends 19 and 26 of the rods 16 and 23,

the trap will be set and remain in that position until the rods 16 or 23 are moved from their positions against the upright 2 by an annual trying to secure the bait.

An animal approaching the trap from either side will obviously be attracted by the bait extending from the side nearest to him, and after eating the bait and knowing that no ill results followed his actions, will reach through the opening 3 and endeavor to secure the bait on the end of the other rod. By so doing, he will move the rod away from the upright 2 and thereby release the two arms on the side of the upright 2 through which his head extends and the spikes 12 or 13 will engage him in the neck with sufiicient force to break his spinal column and thereby instantaneously kill him.

Having thus described the invention what I claim is 1. In a trap, a base, an upright secured to said base and having an opening therein to receive the animals head, pairs of arms pivotally secured to opposite sides of said upright and having spikes secured thereto opposite the opening aforesaid, and a separate trigger for each pair of arms, each of said triggers having a portion thereof extended through the opening aforesaid and adapted to receive a bait.

2. A trap comprising a base, an upright mounted on said base and having an open ing therein to receive the animals head, pairs of arms pivotally secured to the two sides of said upright and having spikes secured thereto opposite the opening aforesaid, springs connecting the arms in pairs and normally tending to move said arms toward one another, flexible rods having one of their terminals secured to said upright, said rods having oifset portions intermediate of the ends thereof and the free terminal of each rod bent at a right angle to the secured portion of the rod and adapted to receive a bait, said extended terminals of the rods extending through the opening aforesaid in opposite directions, and pins secured to said arms and adapted to engage said ofiset portions or" the rods when said rods are in a set position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELZA K. VAN CUREN. Witnesses:

GEORGE CLEMENS, ERNEST B. GREGORY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

